Tag Archives: tv

TV Is Not Rocket Science

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Rob| 8 Comments

There are geniuses among us and many of them work at GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY. Just a few miles from where Charles Steinmetz helped GE harness the power of electricity and change the world, today’s best brains are pioneering new technology that will carry us into the future. At least that’s what I thought until I read this:

Global Research also supports General Electric Co.’s NBC Universal division, which operates TV networks including NBC, Bravo and USA.The folks in Niskayuna have been helping schedule TV shows by developing software systems for the network executives who decide the lineup of shows.

Whoa! This is a little like bragging you designed the O-rings on the space shuttle Challenger.

I don’t have a PhD but I’ve seen enough rating books to know that the whole NBC schedule thing is nothing to write home about lately. My advice? Stick to the lasers, fuel cells, hover cars, and whatever else you mess around with up there. What NBC needs is some good shows —not scientific scheduling.

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Posted in Work

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This Week In the World of Advertising

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Rob| 2 Comments

You know, a commercial that shows a dog urinating would never get on the air —and neither would spots that have nudists talking about your weatherman.

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Posted in Work

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Zombie Car Commercial

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Rob| 1 Comment

The new campaign for the Lexus IS C shows folks mixed up in all sorts of cinematic action —but the best one of the series by far is the zombie commercial.

In this one the protagonist is dashing down the street barefoot from a crowd of what could only be zombies. And these are fast zombies like those in the 2004 re-make of Dawn of the Dead —not clumsy, slow, lurching Night of the Living Dead zombies.

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The internet is full of discusions about what vehicle would be best during a zombie apocalypse but I don’t think the Lexus IS C will be on anyone’s list. I’d say you want 4-wheel drive and then it’s a matter of preference: SUV or pickup? Gas or diesel? Maybe the Hummer H3T? There are pros and cons all around.

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Posted in Modern Living

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Three Words Say It All

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Rob| 1 Comment

I can’t say I’ve ever watched even a minute of Good Morning America Weekend, but I’m a big fan of their Your Three Words segment.

A few years ago they invited viewers to send in videos featuring three words that express what’s on their mind. The producers take what folks contribute and set it to music —and the results are always really moving. It doesn’t hurt that whoever cuts these has great taste in tunes and they’ve  featured bands like Wilco and Blitzen Trapper.

This week they used The Felice Brothers new song Penn Station. have a look:

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Posted in media, Music

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Splinter Group

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Rob| 5 Comments

Cub Scout Pinewood Derby has figured large in my life. Between my two sons, I have built many advised on the construction of many Pinewood Derby cars, worked on numerous Pinewood events, and spent countless hours at the races. That’s why this Subaru commercial sort of moved me. Mostly.

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As you can see, the young lad who takes first place built his own car —unlike his rival whose car was obviously made by dad. It’s unfortunate when these events become a contest between the fathers instead of one between the boys —but what’s more unfortunate is that the scouts in this commercial are wearing Brownie vests.

Yes, Brownie vests. If you are unfamiliar with what Brownie vests look like, please click this link. Then look at the commercial again. And look at the link again. I rest my case. Brownie vests.

Is this someone’s idea of a joke, portraying the industrious boys in this commercial wearing girl uniforms? An underhand shot at the Boy Scouts of America, maybe? Call me a nut, but the truth is that scouting has been under assault for years.

Sure, I understand that maybe you couldn’t get permission to use a Cub Scout uniform —but it doesn’t take much imagination to come up with a knock-off. Putting the boys in Brownie vests? With all due respect to the Brownies, that’s just wrong.

UPDATE: Watch South Park’s take on Pinewood. It’s spot on!

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Posted in Kids

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Banned In Boston

Posted on April 3, 2009 by Rob| 1 Comment

When I heard that NBC was moving Jay Leno to 10pm five days a week here’s what I said: “Maybe they’ll let us air it later so we can run our news at 10.”

Just joking, but as it turns out it was not such an unusual idea —except for the “let us” part.

Boston NBC affiliate WHDH announced yesterday that they will do exactly that in September:  put on an hour of local news starting at 10 and run Leno later. NBC? They’re having a fit —and media insiders speculate that if NBC doesn’t douse the sparks of this insurrection immediately it may spread like wildfire.

And what’s so bad with having Jay Leno at 10pm? Everything. Put something awful at 10 and it could mean even greater trouble for affiliates stuck with the network’s anemic prime time programming. It’s a completely untried strategy at a time when local TV stations are struggling with audience erosion. NBC has not had a CSI, an American Idol, or a Dancing With the Stars —and sooner or later something’s going to give.

Local news is a proven ratings grabber —a ratings grabber in which you get to sell all of the commercials. Put a popular, proven newscast at 10 and it will yield a pile of money. Put Jay Leno there and who the hell knows what will happen.

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Posted in media, Work

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Trickery!

Posted on March 16, 2009 by Rob| 1 Comment

Network TV is so desperate that they’ve started using deceptive and unfair tricks to make people watch their stupid shows. Take Dancing With the Stars for example.

As I’ve written before, I flee from the room when that program comes on —and so does my 13- year-old son, Zack. But the producers have discovered a devious way to get me to watch: by featuring NFL players among the stars. How could I not watch former NY Giant Lawrence Taylor trying to do the cha-cha? Granted, it’s not as exciting as watching him break Joe Theisman’s leg, but hey it’s LT.

Last week both Zack and I were drawn into this insipid show because they not only featured Lawrence Taylor, but Steve-O from Jackass. And they put Apple founder Steve Wozniak on to appeal to the geeks. Hopefully it will not take long for natural selection to weed out the manly elements and we can stop watching.

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Posted in media

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Music Video Saturday!

Posted on February 28, 2009 by Rob| Leave a comment

Back in the early 1980s MTV used to show music videos. Yes, it’s true! Now you have to hunt them up on the internet. If you’re a fan of long tracking shots, you’ll like this one from Vampire Weekend. It took them 17 takes to get this right during their shoot at Ronnybrook Farm in Columbia County.

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And from the classics collection, here is a slight lyric revision to Billy Idol’s iconic White Wedding video.

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Posted in Music, The Internets

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From the Notebook

Posted on February 27, 2009 by Rob| Leave a comment

GET UP
I keep hearing a radio spot for an herbal supplement that’s supposed to promote prostate health. The announcer wants to know if you have any troubling symptoms. He asks, “Do you get up to go to the bathroom?” Huh? Well, yes as a matter of fact I do get up to go to the bathroom. Every single time. And when I stop getting up to go to the bathroom, that’s when I’ll know I have a problem.

OVERHEARD IN THE KITCHEN
Rob: Did you read this story? Some guy was hit by a car and killed after he ran into the road to get his dog.

Ann: Is the dog OK?

CAUTIONARY TALE
Denver’s Rocky Mountain News publishes its final edition today and that’s got me thinking about newspapers. If you live around Albany, you’ve heard people use the term Times Useless to describe their daily paper, the Times Union. After you hear that one about a thousand times it doesn’t sound clever any more —and besides it’s far from accurate. If you want to remain a well informed citizen, you’d better hope that good newspapers like the TU find their way through these tough times. This column is one of the better ones I’ve read on the topic —and there have been hundreds. And if you think local TV news will fill the void, read this piece from the NY Post’s Phil Mushnick.

Besides, newspapers are useful.

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Posted in Home, News

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Best Super Bowl Spot. Period.

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Rob| 5 Comments

I wish I’d seen this before writing about online content and how it’s a problem for TV. This explains everything.

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Posted in News, Work

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